Aberdeenshire & Royal Deeside - Jg Explorer

Itinerary

Aberdeenshire & Royal Deeside

Be enchanted by the Scottish charms of Aberdeenshire on this delightful five-day tour where we enjoy visits to the picturesque Royal Deeside, full of wild scenery, and the quaint town of Stonehaven. With free time in the seaport of Aberdeen and a chance to visit the rugged landscapes along the Banffshire coast, this is an unforgettable way to experience the magic of Scotland.

Aberdeenshire & Royal Deeside

Royal Deeside is an area that captivated Queen Victoria due to its stunning landscape of moody mountains and shimmering rivers. We enjoy these breathtaking panoramas during our excursion and visit some of the region’s most picturesque villages.

Our first stop is in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park for a visit to delightful Braemar. This lovely village is surrounded by stunning mountain scenery, beautiful glens and pine forests, while the centre features an array of boutique shops, medieval ruins and castles.

We continue on to Crathie, which sits on the banks of the River Dee and is set against the mountainous backdrop of Lochnagar. The village is famous for its granite kirk which was built in 1895 and is the Royals' local church when staying at Balmoral.

Our final stop is the village of Ballater, which sits in the heart of Royal Deeside, known for its spring water and is the nearest community to Balmoral Castle. Take a stroll to admire the historic buildings, browse the Ballater Gallery or visit the Royal Station to discover the restored royal waiting room, which re-opened in August 2018 after a devastating fire.

We travel to the harbour town of Stonehaven, nestled in the stunning countryside on the North East coast of Scotland. Discover the Stonehaven Tolbooth Museum, rich in history from its time as a former courthouse and jail, enjoy the fresh sea air with a walk along the sheltered harbour or simply sit back and relax in one of the lovely cafs or restaurants.

We then return to Aberdeen for some free time at leisure. Known as the Granite City, Aberdeen has been described as "one of the most architecturally distinctive cities in Europe" thanks to its sparkling granite buildings and monuments. There’s plenty to discover, from Old Aberdeen, with its cobbled streets and 15^th-century cathedral, to the quirky fishing quarter of Footdee, at the water’s edge.

On our optional excursion, we take in the sandy bays, rugged cliffs, quaint seaside towns and historic fishing villages that make up Scotland’s Banffshire Coast. Located on the stunning Banff Bay, the county town of Banff is a delight to explore and has attracted visitors for centuries. The old harbour, which has been developed as a marina is well worth a visit, or head to Banff Museum to admire some of the oldest surviving silver teapots in Scotland or browse some local works on display.

We continue onto Fraserburgh, a major fishing port and a busy commercial harbour that holds the mainland British wind speed record! There’s a wide range of shops and local produce on offer here as well as an award-winning beach plus a museum which showcases the rich heritage of this Scottish fishing town.

Aberdeenshire & Royal Deeside

• Return coach travel aboard a JG Explorer Coach (see Helpful Information below)
• 4 nights at the Britannia Hotel, Aberdeen (JG2 rating) with dinner & breakfast
• Excursions to Royal Deeside (Braemar, Crathie & Ballater) & Stonehaven
• Free time in Aberdeen

Optional excursion to the Banffshire Coast (£14pp)

Aberdeenshire & Royal Deeside

• 4 nights at the Britannia Hotel, Aberdeen (JG2 rating) with dinner & breakfast
• Excursions to Royal Deeside (Braemar, Crathie & Ballater) & Stonehaven
• Free time in Aberdeen

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JG Explorer Coaches

We are pleased to introduce JG Explorer – a brand-new deluxe coach, thoughtfully designed to provide an elevated coach experience and ensure your journey is special and memorable.

Exclusive to the JG Travel Group, the design of these coaches has been meticulously thought through with your comfort in mind – with only 44 seats meaning more room on board and padded seats. There’s improved legroom and a footrest, making certain that wherever you sit, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your journey. We know it’s the small things that make a big difference in terms of ease and added convenience, so our JG Explorer coaches feature a floor-level, rear-mounted toilet, accessible to all customers.

On-board entertainment throughout your journey is easy to find on the JG Explorer, with access to Azimut, our wireless media system, providing films and quizzes. Simply bring along your smartphone or iPad and enjoy this entertainment interruption-free, with the use of our extra reliable Wi-Fi, free to all passengers and a handy USB port at each seat.

The layout of the JG Explorer includes a floor-level, rear-mounted kitchen with a sink, an espresso machine to purchase delicious Nespresso coffee, dispensed by your driver during comfort breaks, and a fridge stocked with cold drinks and milk. Customers are welcome to help themselves to complimentary JG bottles, that can be used for refill at the built-in cold-water filter, cutting down on the need for disposable plastic bottles and doing our part for the environment.

Accommodation

Britannia Hotel, Aberdeen, Scotland JG2

The Britannia Hotel, Aberdeen is well located in the ‘granite city’ for our special break away. The hotel includes en-suite rooms with TV, telephone and tea/coffee-making facilities as well as a bar, lounge, restaurant and free Wi-Fi. All meals are buffet style.

Hotel Rating

Hotels with a JG2 rating are a mixture of larger hotels and privately owned properties. Décor and furnishings may be simple but are clean and well maintained. All bedrooms have en-suite facilities, TV and may have tea/coffee making facilities. Food may be buffet style in some of the larger hotels. Services may be limited but efficient.